is the purpose of your underground bunker? What do you want it to protect you from?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
long would you want to spend in your bunker?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re going to\nbuild an underground bunker, you need to be sure you\u2019re thinking about all of\nthe angles before you get started because once it\u2019s built it will be difficult\nto change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Building A Bunker: Reasons and Considerations<\/h1>\n\n\n\n![\"An](\"https:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/wp-content\/themes\/church_10\/images\/2019\/05\/undergroundshelter.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPeople who build underground bunkers<\/a> build them for different reasons. Some people want a place to go if the government falls apart and there\u2019s widespread panic and chaos. Other people want to be able to ride out a natural disaster. Underground bunkers can also protect from nuclear fallout. In all of these cases, the preparation and construction of the bunker is critically important and must be planned out in advance lest the bunker not serve its purpose.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nSome of the basic\nconsiderations include how many people you need to protect and how long you\nneed to stay in your bunker. If you\u2019re planning on having a bunker that is a\nviable shelter for 90 days, then you need to have enough space for everyone in\nyour party plus space to hold supplies for 90 days. It\u2019s the space for the\npeople inside, along with space for food storage, that will determine how big\nyour shelter should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You need to think about having a\nwater system and air filtration for your bunker. After all, you\u2019ll be\nunderground and won\u2019t have doors open so the air must be filtered and you\u2019ll\nneed a way to access fresh water even if you have bottled water stored for\ndrinking. You\u2019ll need to think about sanitation, including a place to shower\nand a bathroom of some sort. Even if you have a camp toilet, you\u2019ll need a way\nto dispose of waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next level of considerations takes\nthings one step further. What do you want protection from? Is this a nuclear fallout shelter, a storm shelter or\neven a panic room-type of bunker to keep people out? Obviously there are\ndifferent kinds of building techniques that must be considered for each type of\nbunker, with a nuclear fallout shelter being at the top of the list because of\nall the added layers of protection needed to keep radiation from penetrating\nthe bunker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prior to the\nbuild, you need to think about where your bunker is located and what kind of\nland you\u2019re building in. If the soil is dry, like in a desert, you won\u2019t have\nto worry about the water table and possible flooding, but if you\u2019re in a place\nwhere rain and snow are plentiful then your bunker will have to withstand the\nelements so as to not flood, rot or become moldy if the soil is too damp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before we look at\nhow to build your bunker, let\u2019s talk about shipping containers as an easy and\nrelatively inexpensive alternative to building a bunker from scratch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Problem with Shipping Containers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
While doing\nresearch on building an underground bunker you might come across the idea of\nusing a shipping container as the structure of your bunker. The idea is pretty\nstraightforward – dig a massive hole, bury the container and then install all\nof the necessities. In theory, it\u2019s a great idea, but there are some possible issues to be aware of<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nStorage and\nshipping containers have become popular modular building materials. In fact,\nthere\u2019s a whole shopping and dining complex in Las Vegas <\/a>made\nout of shipping containers. The mysterious character Jadis had a very nice\nshipping container home in the middle of a junkyard on The Walking Dead. When\nit comes to using shipping containers to build above ground, they\u2019re a\nwonderful thing. Below ground is another issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDigging a\nmassive hole isn\u2019t a problem, and it\u2019s easy enough to install the basic\nnecessities no matter what kind of structure you\u2019re using. But a shipping\ncontainer has its own limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is only one way\nin and out, which could be a problem if you need to escape and your entrance is\nblocked.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another issue\ncomes with the weight of the dirt on top of the container. Over time the weight\ncan cause the roof to sag or even collapse. If you\u2019re in an area with a lot of\nrain the water could pool on top and cause the roof\u2019s integrity to deteriorate\neven faster. Depending on your container\u2019s placement you need to think about\nthings like cars driving over it, or debris covering your entryway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking of rain, the exterior of\nshipping containers can be prone to rust so you need to think about the\nmoisture level of the soil and how that could impact your container over time.\nArid desert dirt would be better than the damp earth of a meadow or forest if\nyou have some acreage. Erosion is a big problem, and so too are the chemicals\nin the container\u2019s paint. Many of these containers are used to transport\nfreight across the ocean, so the exteriors have been treated with chemicals.\nYou don\u2019t want the chemicals to seep into the interior of your container and\nmake your bunker toxic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In many cases shipping containers have made wonderful bunkers, both above ground and below ground. The problem is that they\u2019re not designed to be buried and so some people have encountered problems, and the last thing you want is to need your bunker only to find that it\u2019s not viable because the roof is collapsing. Shipping containers are risky in that regard, but they are really better suited for use above ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/wp-content\/themes\/church_10\/images\/2019\/05\/risingsbunkers.jpg\")
If you do go with a shipping container style bunker, then you need to look at something that is highly reinforced like the bunkers built by Risings Bunkers<\/a>. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBuilding Your Underground Shelter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The first step\nof building your bunker is to determine the size you need, and then you need to\nchoose a location. Many people build their bunkers themselves but if you are\ngoing big then hiring a contractor could be the best route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While many people\nwould rather stay off the grid, you likely need to pull permits to build a\nbackyard bunker, especially if you\u2019re using a contractor. Even if you\u2019re\nbuilding deep in the woods, it\u2019s a good idea to do things the right way, so\npeople don\u2019t get the wrong idea. (After all, how many horror movies include the\nguy with the torture den buried deep in the woods?) If you find you need to\npull permits and you don\u2019t want to, consider reinforcing your house\u2019s basement\nand making it a secret quasi-underground bunker. It\u2019s the best way to stay off\nthe grid and keep attention at a minimum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are lots of videos and resources available to help you build your underground bunker on your own. This guy has a pretty entertaining series of videos:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPeople who build underground bunkers<\/a> build them for different reasons. Some people want a place to go if the government falls apart and there\u2019s widespread panic and chaos. Other people want to be able to ride out a natural disaster. Underground bunkers can also protect from nuclear fallout. In all of these cases, the preparation and construction of the bunker is critically important and must be planned out in advance lest the bunker not serve its purpose. Some of the basic\nconsiderations include how many people you need to protect and how long you\nneed to stay in your bunker. If you\u2019re planning on having a bunker that is a\nviable shelter for 90 days, then you need to have enough space for everyone in\nyour party plus space to hold supplies for 90 days. It\u2019s the space for the\npeople inside, along with space for food storage, that will determine how big\nyour shelter should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You need to think about having a\nwater system and air filtration for your bunker. After all, you\u2019ll be\nunderground and won\u2019t have doors open so the air must be filtered and you\u2019ll\nneed a way to access fresh water even if you have bottled water stored for\ndrinking. You\u2019ll need to think about sanitation, including a place to shower\nand a bathroom of some sort. Even if you have a camp toilet, you\u2019ll need a way\nto dispose of waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next level of considerations takes\nthings one step further. What do you want protection from? Is this a nuclear fallout shelter, a storm shelter or\neven a panic room-type of bunker to keep people out? Obviously there are\ndifferent kinds of building techniques that must be considered for each type of\nbunker, with a nuclear fallout shelter being at the top of the list because of\nall the added layers of protection needed to keep radiation from penetrating\nthe bunker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prior to the\nbuild, you need to think about where your bunker is located and what kind of\nland you\u2019re building in. If the soil is dry, like in a desert, you won\u2019t have\nto worry about the water table and possible flooding, but if you\u2019re in a place\nwhere rain and snow are plentiful then your bunker will have to withstand the\nelements so as to not flood, rot or become moldy if the soil is too damp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before we look at\nhow to build your bunker, let\u2019s talk about shipping containers as an easy and\nrelatively inexpensive alternative to building a bunker from scratch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While doing\nresearch on building an underground bunker you might come across the idea of\nusing a shipping container as the structure of your bunker. The idea is pretty\nstraightforward – dig a massive hole, bury the container and then install all\nof the necessities. In theory, it\u2019s a great idea, but there are some possible issues to be aware of<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Storage and\nshipping containers have become popular modular building materials. In fact,\nthere\u2019s a whole shopping and dining complex in Las Vegas <\/a>made\nout of shipping containers. The mysterious character Jadis had a very nice\nshipping container home in the middle of a junkyard on The Walking Dead. When\nit comes to using shipping containers to build above ground, they\u2019re a\nwonderful thing. Below ground is another issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Digging a\nmassive hole isn\u2019t a problem, and it\u2019s easy enough to install the basic\nnecessities no matter what kind of structure you\u2019re using. But a shipping\ncontainer has its own limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is only one way\nin and out, which could be a problem if you need to escape and your entrance is\nblocked. Another issue\ncomes with the weight of the dirt on top of the container. Over time the weight\ncan cause the roof to sag or even collapse. If you\u2019re in an area with a lot of\nrain the water could pool on top and cause the roof\u2019s integrity to deteriorate\neven faster. Depending on your container\u2019s placement you need to think about\nthings like cars driving over it, or debris covering your entryway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking of rain, the exterior of\nshipping containers can be prone to rust so you need to think about the\nmoisture level of the soil and how that could impact your container over time.\nArid desert dirt would be better than the damp earth of a meadow or forest if\nyou have some acreage. Erosion is a big problem, and so too are the chemicals\nin the container\u2019s paint. Many of these containers are used to transport\nfreight across the ocean, so the exteriors have been treated with chemicals.\nYou don\u2019t want the chemicals to seep into the interior of your container and\nmake your bunker toxic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In many cases shipping containers have made wonderful bunkers, both above ground and below ground. The problem is that they\u2019re not designed to be buried and so some people have encountered problems, and the last thing you want is to need your bunker only to find that it\u2019s not viable because the roof is collapsing. Shipping containers are risky in that regard, but they are really better suited for use above ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step\nof building your bunker is to determine the size you need, and then you need to\nchoose a location. Many people build their bunkers themselves but if you are\ngoing big then hiring a contractor could be the best route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While many people\nwould rather stay off the grid, you likely need to pull permits to build a\nbackyard bunker, especially if you\u2019re using a contractor. Even if you\u2019re\nbuilding deep in the woods, it\u2019s a good idea to do things the right way, so\npeople don\u2019t get the wrong idea. (After all, how many horror movies include the\nguy with the torture den buried deep in the woods?) If you find you need to\npull permits and you don\u2019t want to, consider reinforcing your house\u2019s basement\nand making it a secret quasi-underground bunker. It\u2019s the best way to stay off\nthe grid and keep attention at a minimum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are lots of videos and resources available to help you build your underground bunker on your own. This guy has a pretty entertaining series of videos:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Problem with Shipping Containers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you do go with a shipping container style bunker, then you need to look at something that is highly reinforced like the bunkers built by Risings Bunkers<\/a>. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBuilding Your Underground Shelter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n